New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-03
KATE SEYMOUR.
THE STORY OF A WEDDING DAY.
BY W, II. sTACPooLE.
PART I.


PART
IT, was about ten minutes past O'Clock on q
lovely August evening when Mr. Edward Oldhah'
n Young man of about twenty three years Oh aso'
stepped out of the express tram which nau !
arrived from London at the stalon III Mais"
Having left a handsome travelling bag, winch wac
his only luggage. in the cloak-room he sauntereu
along the Crescent to the Royal York Hotel IL
was the height Of the season in Marsate Inv
Mace was crowded, and there was not pea 10
be had at the York or the White Haro' 50 NC
etrolled UP the hill toward ClftonviIe. AS ne
was passing by Fort Crescent he saw, standing on
the doorstep of a house some ten or fifteen yarus
before him, a tall slight girl, whose wayy golden
hair confined by single ribbon foated over her
shoulders until it reached her waist.
Her complexion was very pale, but 1t was won
derfuly transparent, and suited The dencate hie.,
ments of her dreamy Grecian features. MT Old-
ham irstnctively slackened the very eisurely pace
at which he was walking, and looked curiousy
at her. Then he looked at the house. There was
a card in the paTlor window with the WORD Apart
mentsp on it, To take apartments In MarHate
would have been one Of the last things unau ne
would have thought of doing under any ordinary
circumstances. Young, and possessed OF means
which made him independent of any small econo-
miles, he would never have dreamt OF lmmurine
himself In the comparative solitude OF LOGGING
house. however well appointed 1t might De- wnlle
he could have the freedom and sense OF companion
about a hotel He paused, however, for a moment
he seemed in doubt. Then he went up the steps
and was about to ring the bell, when the young
lady, who had stepped aside to make way for
him asked in q very musical but clear and 'nclsi'e
voice If he wished to see any one.
81 wished to know what apartments there are
to let Pr said Mr.. Oldham, who actually blushed
under the influence of the grave brown eyes which
were suddenly turned fun upon him.
."There is the parlor and the bedroom on the
gronnd floor How long would you want them
for Pr rcplied the young lady, In q voice which
was perfectly polite but perfectly uninterested.
~ am not sure how long l can stay, but L
should be happy to take them for any reasonable
time il they suited me- said Mr.. Oldham In q
tone into which, though equally polite, there was
thrown just that amount OF irritation which Is
likely to be occasioned when q handsome young
man finds that what he knows to be his semi
advances however faint or involuntary they may
be- are either rejected or unnotced by beautiful
woman.
Why the young lady whom Mr.. Oldham was
addressing should have been more cordial after
his last speech do not know, and am sure IL
would have puzzled her to explain. Some extra
clever reader Of this story may suggest, as simple
and obvious explanation, that she saw he was
likely TO be a good customer to the house. But
this hypothesis will, think, disappear in the
course of the tale. However 1t may have Deen,
she repled in more cordial tone:
"AIy aunt is not at home at present. but II you
win come in will show you the rooms
AS the rooms were on the ground floor it did
not take long to inspect them; and, after eX-
tracing as much conversation from the young
lady as he politely could, he engaged the rooms
and went to the station to get his bag.
Edward Oldham was the only son of very
wealthy shpOwner who had been away on business
in South America for the past eight months. During
the absence of his father he had taken First
Glass at Oxford, and he was now living without
n...s1 90 nrnl
idea that he would stand for some constituency at
the next general election. The allowance ne re-
eeived from his father was practically unlimited !;
but he was entirely dependent on this allowance,
and for the first time in his life he realized the
circumstance while he was on his way to the
station. II did not take him more than half an
hour to get back to Fort Crescent. To his great
disappointment the door was opened by a servant.
.IIas Miss Darrell returned p he asked when he
had put his travelling bag in tho bedroom
mo, sir, she will not be back till o'clock.
Would you like anything to eat, sir p
40, thank you. Can have q cup OF tea Z"
."Yes, sir / shall bring 1t up directly"
He did not want the tea, but he wanted some
excuse to daily about the place. He did not like
t. ask il Miss Darc's niece was still in the house
there was no plausible excuse for doing SO; but,
il he waited little, perhaps one might arise When
the servant left the room he opened rather
ancient looking cottage piano which stood by the
window and having struck q few chords, found
that il was one of those that have the poignant
melody of tone which is so often wanting IN
modern pianos Mr.. oldham was an accomplished
pia,ist, and he played from memory two Of Men
delssohn's "Songs without Words" and q waltz OF
Chopin Then he got up and began to inspect
some volumes of music which were lying on a
table near the piano. There was Beethoven's
"Sonatasv and Bachs "Fugues' and Mozart's
~Sonata," and a few other volumes OF more or
hiss classical music. On the fy-leaf of each book
WIS written, in q woman's hand, which was at
ONE firm and delicate Catherine Seymour, with
yaIsou dates, the oldest Of which was nearly nine
yeas, and the last about six months.
WHO may Catherine Seymour be- wonder?
said Mr. oldham TO himself. "The fair young lady
la re been speaking TO, hore She Is a musician
if tn re is any truth 10 physiognomy.'
lis Miss Seymour the young lady saw when
came here first ?' he asked when the servant came
IN TO make preparations for tea.
"Yes, SIR"
.~Could / see her for minute? %
"Ycs sir. I'll tell her.
In minute or two Miss Seymour came into the
room. Mr.. Oldham rose from the table and, having
very politely asked her to be seated he apOogized
for troubling her, and then proceeded, in very
candid and deferential manner, to say that if the
music on tho table was hers, he hoped she would
use the piano while he was In the house whenever
she pleased.
IL am little Of musician myself he said
'"and should be exceedingly sorry If thought
that any who is fond Of musicwas in any way
prevented from enjoying it by me-
Now there are many considerations which would
probably have prevented most men from addressing
Miss Seymour IN this way, however strongly they
may have felt on the subject. In the first place
there would be the fear Of appearing to act In
patronizing manner and then there would, proba
bly,, be an apprehension lest she might resent suof
conduct o. being, under the circumstances, tot
familiar or perhaps, think that they were taking
advantage Of the situation to force their society
upon her,
, Very likely one or all of these objections would
have applied II Mr., Oldham had spoken otherwise
than be did. But be addressed her in such per
fectly haturA And straightforward manner he
tpaks With such az easy Difference, 50 much ss i